


Good Advice

by Brenda



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Pre-Movie(s), Starfleet Academy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-20
Updated: 2015-06-20
Packaged: 2018-04-05 06:12:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4168977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brenda/pseuds/Brenda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>I know you'd like everyone to think you're above such carnal thoughts, but we both know the truth.  Your pheromones are zinging like Mintakan fireflies on a summer night.  And I'm telling you to watch yourself.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Advice

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in July of 2011.

"I'd watch myself if I were you," Gaila breezily announced as she stopped beside Nyota at the buffet table. It was laden with an assortment of finger foods from a bewildering variety of planets – not even Nyota could name them all. Gaila loaded her plate with a selection of some undefined meat from Trillius Prime and cubes of some cheese that had come from Peliar Zel II and tasted a little bit like spun sugar mixed with coffee.

Nyota tore herself away from people watching ( _person_ watching, if she was honest with herself) to give Gaila a confused look. "Watch myself with what?"

"Oh honey." Gaila's smile was all sympathy. Her skin practically _glowed_ with it. "I get it, he's very attractive. Long and lean with a killer smile to go with that killer ass. But he's never going to give you what you need emotionally."

Definitely officially confused. There's no way Gaila could know who she'd been staring at for the past fifteen minutes of the cadet and instructors mixer. "Who, exactly, we talking about?" 

"Mr. Spock, of course. Tall, dark, handsome as sin and all that simmering rage bubbling under the calm, logical exterior." Gaila popped a bite of cheese in her mouth and looked at Nyota expectantly, like she was daring Nyota to try to deflect.

Caught. Nyota should have remembered that her new roommate had been groomed to read body language from birth. (Nyota didn't want to think too much about why, didn't want to ruin her mood or bring down everyone at the party.) She'd probably known about Nyota's interest before she herself had even realized it. "I wasn't really..."

"Save it," Gaila interrupted, with a negligent wave of her hand. "I know you'd like everyone to think you're above such carnal thoughts, but we both know the truth. Your pheromones are zinging like Mintakan fireflies on a summer night. And I'm telling you to watch yourself."

"Fine," Nyota sighed, giving in to the inevitable. No point in lying about it. Lying to someone who'd escaped the Orion Syndicate using only her wits and smarts probably wasn't a good idea, anyway. And lying to the person she'd be bunking with for the next three years sounded even worse. "I'm just looking. Not like I'm planning on doing anything about it."

"You misunderstand me. You should ride him like a Nimbusian stallion, but don't go falling in love with him."

"Hold on, are you suggesting I actually sleep with him?"

Gaila grinned. "As many times as you can. Hell, I'd take him for a test drive if I thought he was interested. But he seems to be immune to my charms, which has to be a first. Only seems to have a thing for long dark hair and big dark eyes right now."

"What...?" Nyota trailed off as her gaze snagged on Spock. Who was looking right at her. He saluted her with his glass, and she managed a wan smile in return. She hoped her blush wasn't as obvious as she'd feared.

"Like I said." Gaila patted Nyota's shoulder. Even the bounce of her hair radiated empathy and warmth. "Wear him out and wear him down, but keep your heart off the shelf."

Nyota couldn't believe she was having this conversation, but it didn't stop her from asking the next, inevitable question. Her curiosity would be the death of her one day, she was sure of it. "Why?"

"Because that rage is going to swallow him whole one day, and you'd be well advised to be clear of him when it happens."

Nyota wanted to ask how Gaila knew that – if it was the famed Orion intuition or if someone on the Starfleet staff had been gossiping – but Gaila had disappeared into the throng of people and out of immediate sight. Nyota glanced across the room again. Spock was still staring right at her, one of those thin eyebrows raised in the sort of challenge that she'd never been able to pass up. 

_Ride him like a stallion, but don't let him break your heart_ , she thought, and straightened her shoulders, resisting the urge to tug at the hem of her skirt. It was good advice. She'd do well to follow it, she told herself, then started moving in his direction.

***


End file.
